Six bunkers of Kuki militants destroyed, arms seized

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Oct 30: Altogether six bunkers built by Kuki militants on Mark Ridgeline of Sinam Kom and Sanjenlok area have been dismantled by a combined team of State police, 18 AR, 16 AR, 22 AR and 4th Bn CRPF today.
The combined team also seized a number of arms and ammunition.
Construction of large number of bunkers by Kuki militants on Mark Ridgeline of Sinam Kom and Sanjenlok area was a constant threat to the Meitei people living in Sinam Kom and Ishing Thembi areas.
As such, the Meitei villagers were repeatedly asking the authorities concerned to dismantle the bunkers and deploy neutral security forces in the area but to no avail.
However, after an army battalion was withdrawn from Sagolmang area recently, troops of 18 Assam Rifles commanded by Col Akash were posted in the area.
On the request of the people to dismantle the bunkers, 18 AR took up necessary initiative promptly and opened a post.
Subsequently the combined force of State police, Assam Rifles and BSF carried out a combing operation to flush out Kuki militants as well as Meitei UG cadres, if present, from Sinam Kom and adjoining areas today.
Another objective of today’s combining operation was to open an AR post at the tri-junction point on Sinam Kom Ridgeline to create a buffer zone between the two communities.
Arms and ammunition seized during the combing operation included one 9 mm carbine with magazine, one .22 rifle magazine, one country made rifle, one 9 mm pistol with magazine, one country made 9 mm country made pistol with magazine, one country made pistol, two 5.56 mm INSAS rifle magazines, one 7.62 mm SLR magazine, 34 empty cartridges of AK 47,  six numbers of 80 WP(MK-1) with six detonators, one broken butt of double barrel rifle, 14 numbers of 36 HE hand grenades, 15 tube launchers, 10 bomb rings and six blank (HD) cartridges.
Meanwhile, villagers of Sinam Kom and Ishing Thembi area including villagers of Yumnam Khunou, Ishika and Sambei have expressed gratitude to Imphal East SP S Ibomcha and 18 AR Commandant Col Akash for destroying the Kuki militants’ bunkers.
The villagers also appreciated the effort of Col Akash for opening a new post at the Mark Hill which is a very crucial step to ensure no more bunkers are constructed in the area by Kuki militants.
In another operation, security forces recovered eight Rs 200 fake currency notes (Rs 1,600) and a huge cache of arms and ammunition from D Moljang village in Churachandpur district. The recovered arms and ammunition include one .303 Rifle, one local made Single Barrel Gun, two 7.62 mm ammunition, one country-made improvised long range heavy mortar with two empty cartridges, one tear smoke shell soft nose (SR) (HDPE-38mm), one tear smoke shell soft nose, one cartridge 38 mm anti-riot with rubber bullet ammunition AFK Pune and combat dresses.